Timepiece automatic winding mechanism



April 22, 1952 F. MEYER 2,593,688

TIMEPIECE AUTOMATIC WINDING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 29, 1947 Patented Apr. 22, 1952 'IIMEPIECE AUTOMATIC WINDING MECHANISM Friedrich Meyer, Grenchen, Switzerland, assignor to Felsa S. A., of Grenchen, Switzerland, organized under laws of Switzerland Application December 29, 1947, Serial No. 794,343 In Switzerland July 9, 1942 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires July 9, 1962 8 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic winding mechanisms for watches.

In watches with automatic winding mechanism the winding member or weight is formed by a carrier or a plate and a rim screwed to this carrier or plate or fixed thereto in any other suitable manner. A part of the watch movement is covered by this member so that for re= pairs the winding member must always be removed. In mechanisms of this kind known up to date, a troublesome dismounting of the winding member and the parts associated therewith was necessary.

The invention allows this disassembling to be avoided and relates to an automatic winding mechanism in watches, in which the winding member has a hollow bearing piece with two bearings fixed to its ends by means of which it is placed rotatably and detachably as a whole on a pin fixed to the movement.

Other objects and features will be apparent as the followin description proceeds, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a top view and Fig. 2 a section through an example of the automatic winding mechanism according to the invention taken on line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

The oscillating winding member consists of a rim l and a plate 2. The latter covers about half the movement and has a central extension 3 to which a hollow bearing piece 4 is fixed, this member forming a pinion 5. The winding member is pinned up on a pin 6 fixed to a plate I screwed to the upper plate 8 of the movement. The winding member is guided and supported on this pin 6 by means of two jewels 9 and I fixed to the ends of the hollow bearing piece 4. The interior diameter of the jewel 9 is greater than the one of the jewel l5 so that the winding member may be adjusted on the pin 6 in spite of the collar I 0 provided on the latter. This collar I0 is in cooperation with a lock ll entering below the collar l0 into the bore of the hollow bearing piece 4. This lock has an upwardly bent part entering a hole of the plate 2 and being held by' a split-annular spring l2 keeping the lock' II in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Both collar and lock are so chamfered that, on

bringing the whole winding member into the movement, the lock is pushed outwards by the collar [0 and is brought back by the spring l2 into the position shown in Fig. 2 when it has passed the collar ID. If it is desired to remove the winding member, the look, by means of any suitable'tool applied from the top, is moved towards the outside against the action of spring 12 out of reach of the collar l0 and brought by a slight rotation into the slot ll of the hole in the plate 2. In this disengaged position the lock is secured and the whole winding member can be removed by a drawing oiT movement.

What I claim is: 1. In a watch or clock movement, a fixed part. a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said fixed part, a shoulder of a radial dimension not larger than said thicker portion, carried by the thinner portion of said stepped pin, a hub mem her having an axial through bore, two bearings pivotally receiving said stepped pin and fixed to said hub member in the ends of said through bore at difierent sides of said shoulder, so as to allow removal of said hub member in axial direction away from said fixed part, a pendulumwinding member fixed to said hub member adjacent to the end of said through bore away from said fixed part, and a spring-loaded looking means attainable from the outside and lat erally passing through said hub member to en-' ter said through bore below said shoulder and between said bearings and being retractile from saidthrough bore.

2. In a watch or clock movement, a fixed part, a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said fixed part, an annular collar of a diameter not larger than said thicker portion, carried by the. thinner portion of said stepped pin, a hub memher having an axial through bore with awider portion turned towards said fixed partanda narrower portion turned away from said fixed part, a first bearing pivotally receiving said thicker portion and being fixed to said hub memher in the free end of said wider portion, a second bearing pivotally receiving said thinner portion and being fixed to said hub member in the free end of said narrower portion, so as to allow removal of said hub member in axial direction away from said fixed part, a pendulum winding member fixed to said hub member at the outer end of said narrower portion, and a springloaded locking means attainable from the outside, entering said through bore below said col-' lar and being retractile from said through bore.

3. In a watch or clock movement, a fixed part, a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said fixed part, an annular collar of a diameter not larger than said thicker portion, carried by the thinner portion of said stepped pin, a pinion having an axial through bore, a radial hole in. said pinion running from said through bore to the outer circumference of said pinion, two

bearings pivotally receiving said stepped pin and fixed to said pinion in the ends of said through bore at difierent sides of said annular collar, so as to allow removal of said pinion in axial direction away from said fixed part, a pendulum winding member fixed to said pinion adjacent to the end of said through bore away from said fixed part, and having a through hole adjacent to said pinion and a slot running into said through hole in tangential direction to said pinion, a lock member having two legs bent sub stantially at right angles, the one leg entering said through hole with its free end attainable from the upper surface of said pendulum member, the other leg traversing said radial hole and being adjustable along and laterally to said hole, and a spring means engaging said lock member to press said other leg inwards to enter said through bore below said collar, and to allow retraction of said lock member from said turned towards said fixed part and a narrower portion turned away from said fixed part, a radial hole in said pinion running from said narrower portion to the outer circumference of said pinion, a first bearing pivotally receiving said thicker portion and being fixed to said pinion in the free end of said wider portion, a second bearing pivotallyreceiving said thinner portion and being fixed to said pinion in the free end of said narrower portion, so as to allowremoval of said pinion in axial direction away from said fixed part, a pendulum winding member fixed to said pinion adjacent to the outer end of said narrower portion, and having a through hole ad jacent tosaid pinion and a slot running into said through hole in tangential direction to said pinion, a lock member having two legs bent substantially at right angles, the one leg entering said through hole with its free end attainable from the upper surface of said pendulum memher, the other leg traversing said radial hole and Y being adjustable along and laterally to said hole, and a spring means engaging said lock member to press said other leg inwards to enter said narrower'portion below said collar, and to allow re-' traction of said lock member from said narrower portion against the constraint of said spring and rocking said lock member to enter said slot.

5. In a watch or clock movement, a fixed part, a plate fixed to said fixed part, a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said plate, an annular collar of a diameter not larger than said thicker portion, carried by'the thinner portion of said stepped pin, a pinion having an axial through bore with a wider portion turned towards said plate and a narrower portion turned away from said plate, a radial hole in said pinion running from said narrower portion to the outer circumference of said pinion, a first pierced jewel pivotally receiving said thicker portion and being fixed to said pinion in the free end of said wider portion, a second pierced jewel pivotally receiving said thinner portion and being fixed to said pinion in the free end of said narrower portion, so as to allow removal of said pinion in axial direction away from said plate, a pendulum winding member fixed to said pinion at the outer end of said narrower portion, and having a through hole adjacent to said pinion and a slot running into said through hole in tangential direction to said pinion, a lock member having two legs bent substantially at right angles, the one leg entering said through hole with its free end attainable from the upper surface of said pendulum windingmember, the other leg traversing said radial hole andrbeing adjustable along and laterally to said hole and a spring means engaging said lock member to press said other leg inwards to enter said narrower portion below said collar, and to allow retraction of said loci: member from said narrower portion against the constraint of said spring and rocking said lock member to enter said slot.

6. In a watch or clock movement, a fixed part, a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said fixed part, an annular collar of a diameter not larger than said thicker portion, carried by the thinner portion of said stepped pin, a pinion having an axial through bore, a radial hole in said pinion running from said through bore to the outer circumference of said pinion, two bearings pivotally receiving said stepped pin and fixed to said pinion in the ends of said through bore at different sides of said annular collar, so as to allow removal of said pinion in axial direction away from said fixed part, a pendulum winding member fixed to said pinion adjacent to the end of said through bore away from said fixed part, and having a through hole adjacent to said pinion and a slot running into said through hole in tangential direction to said pinion, a lock member having two legs bent substantially at right angles, the one leg entering said through hole with its free end attainable from the upper surface of said pendulum member, the other leg traversing said radial hole and being adjustable along and laterally to said hole, and a split annular spring surrounding said pinion and said lock member to press said other leg inwards to enter into said through bore below said collar, and to allow retraction of said lock member from said through bore against the constraint of said spring and rocking said lock member to enter said slot. r

'7. Ina watch or clock movement, a fixed part, a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said fixed part, an annular collar of a diameter not larger than .said thicker portion, carried by the thinner portion of said stepped pin, a pinion having an axial through bore, with a wider portion turned towards said fixed part and a narrower portion turned away from said fixed part, a radial hole in said pinion running from said narrower portion to the outer circumference of said pinion, a first bearing pivotally'receiving said thicker portion and being fixed to said pinion in the free end of said wider portion, a second bearing pivotally receiving said thinner portion and being fixed to said pinion in the free end of said narrower portion, so as to allow removal of said pinion in axial direction away from said fixed part, a pendulum winding member fixed to said pinion adjacent to the outer end of said narrower portion, and having a through hole adjacent to said pinion and a slot running into said through hole in tangential direction to said pinion, a lock member having two legs bent substantially at right angles, the one leg entering said through hole with its free end attainable from the upper surface of said pendulum member, the other leg traversing said radial hole and being adjustable along and laterally to said hole, and a split annular spring surrounding said pinion and said lock member to press said other leg inwards to enter into said narrower portion below said collar, and to allow retraction of said lock member from said narrower portion against the constraint of said spring and rocking said lock member to enter said slot.

8. In a watch or clock movement, a fixed part, a plate fixed to said fixed part, a stepped pin fixed at its thicker portion to said plate, an annular collar of a diameter not larger than said thicker portion, carried by the thinner portion of said stepped pin, a pinion having an axial through bore with a wider portion turned towards said plate and a narrower portion turned away from said plate, a radial hole in said pinion running from said narrower portion to the outer circumference of said pinion, a first pierced jewel pivotally receiving said thicker portion and being said pinion, a lock member having two legs bent substantially at right angles, the one leg entering said through hole with its free end attainable from the upper surface of said pendulum winding member, the other leg traversing said radial hole and being adjustable along and laterally to said hole, and a split annular spring surrounding said pinion and said lock member to press said other leg inwards to enter into said narrower portion below said collar, and to allow retraction of said lock member from said narrower portion against the constraint of said spring and rocking said lock member to enter said slot.

FRIEDRICH MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 669,128 Sporleder Mar. 5, 1901 2,017,636 Smalley Oct. 15, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 75,362 Switzerland July 16, 1917 139,230 Switzerland June 16, 1930 155,515 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1932 170,501 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1934 

